“This technology has the power to shape the future of our experience at the DPS and other government agencies, and Oklahoma is paving the way to the next generation of state-issued identity credentials.” – Matt Thompson, SVP, Civil and Mobile ID, IDEMIA
IDEMIA has upgraded the Oklahoma version of its mobile driver’s license solution, making it more compliant with the USA’s advanced ID program, REAL ID.
On a superficial level, the difference between a standard Oklahama state driver’s license and a REAL ID license is the presence of a small star icon on the top right of the ID card. But it affirms special privileges for cardholders when they are passing through airport screening or trying to access federal or military facilities.
Accordingly, registering for the REAL ID requires somewhat extensive documentation, including the applicant’s birth certificate, social security number, and two proofs of residency.
Meanwhile, the IDEMIA-made Oklahoma Mobile ID made its debut in late 2019. Developed in collaboration with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, it creates a virtual version of the user’s driver’s license on their smartphone, which can be used just like the official, physical ID. And now, with the latest update, it enables REAL ID pre-enrollment: using the app, REAL ID applicants can upload images of the required identity documents and fill out a questionnaire. That, in turn, will make the in-person component of finalizing the application a much faster process, with IDEMIA asserting that their transaction time could be reduced by up to 40 percent.
In a statement announcing the upgrade, IDEMIA Civil and Mobile ID SVP Matt Thompson framed it as the latest step in the evolution of IDEMIA’s mobile ID solution. “This technology has the power to shape the future of our experience at the DPS and other government agencies, and Oklahoma is paving the way to the next generation of state-issued identity credentials,” he said.
The upgrade comes after IDEMIA announced its “Converged Card” concept toward the end of last year. The Converged Card would essentially combine a driver’s license and payment card into a single physical credential. Down the line, it’s easy to imagine such a concept being paired with a mobile virtual credential; in any case, it’s clear that IDEMIA is actively working to innovate in the government-issued ID space through these different, if complementary, technological approaches.
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